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Old 14-Jan-2010, 3:31 AM   #1
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Thumbs up reception help please

hi, i just found this site and its awesome! i need some help, i can get channels up to CW using bunny ears (no loop) on the second floor. my attic is sealed off. i really want abc, cbs, fox and nbc. what will do the trick? i'm thinking about sticking a 4bay antenna in the closet. i would like an indoor option if possible, mostly due to my laziness. for what its worth about half the distance to the stations i need is over lake ontario. i'm new to OTA reception so any help is greatly appreciated. thanks!!!!!

analysis results- http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...b32ba6a978a405
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Old 14-Jan-2010, 8:30 AM   #2
mtownsend
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Hello and welcome!

Here are a few thoughts...

1) The strong channels at the top of your list are very close by and very strong (mostly Canadian analog broadcasts). Signal strengths this high will overload just about any amp, so under no circumstances should you attempt to use any kind of amp in your setup (either built into an antenna or as a separate unit). An overloaded amp doesn't damage anything, but it washes out all the signals and you'll get nothing useful out of it.

2) Most of the stations you are asking for are in the "red" range on your channel list. This means that for most situations, the recommended antenna placement is outdoors, preferably up high. If you go with a second-floor indoor installation, it might still work, but it might be marginal (i.e., pixellation, some channel dropouts, etc.). For a more reliable signal, you should really consider a rooftop option.

3) For a second-floor installation, you will probably need at least a 4 bay antenna, if not more. How well this works depends on where the antenna is relative to the direction of the transmitters (is it on the south side of the house?), and what kind of building material is in the way (is there any wire mesh, foil-backed insulation, ducts, or other conductive material blocking signals?).

4) If the 4 bay turns out to be inadequate, the next step up in antenna size would be something like an 8 bay or a very large log periodic or yagi. Unfortunately, antennas of this size are probably too big to simply stash in a closet. At this point, you may have no choice but to go for an outdoor installation.

5) My gut feel is that your best setup would consist of an Antennas Direct 91XG (for UHF) and a Winegard YA1713 (for high-VHF) combined through a UVSJ. If this is installed on your roof and pointed at Buffalo, you should be able to get most of the channels down into the "red" zone. Both of these antennas are very directional, which might help your situation because it screens out some of the excessive power coming from your local transmitters.
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Old 14-Jan-2010, 1:46 PM   #3
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hey! thanks for the quick reply. the antenna is currently on the south side of my house, beside the window. Nothing really interfering with the signal except maybe city electric wires (about 20 feet south of house).

I was fiddling around with the antenna height and surprisingly after an increase of only 4 ft, most channels are in my LOS and in the yellow zone at a height of 24 feet.

signal analysis after 4ft raise - http://www.tvfool.com/?option=com_wr...b32bf71d317225

im gonna break into my attic and try the uhf antenna (or similar to) the one you suggested.

Thanks!
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Old 14-Jan-2010, 4:22 PM   #4
mtownsend
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WNGS is the only VHF station from Buffalo, so if you go with a UHF-only antenna, this is the one channel you might be missing.

When more of the Canadian broadcasters fire up their digital broadcasts, you may also find that some of them will remain on VHF channels too.

If WNGS is not immediately important to you, then you can probably just wait and see whether you want to add a VHF antenna to the mix.
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